Paradise Philippines

Paradise Philippines : National Heroes Day 2007

A celebration paying homage to people who fought for freedom usually held with a cultural program and flower offering at the foot of the Unknown Soldier Monument.

In any human society there is a universal tendency to seek among its members a person of especially desirable qualities. These qualities such as bravery, fortitude in times of adversity, and willingness to sacrifice their lives for the benefit of the greater good are considered highly laudable. Individuals who have demonstrated these qualities are considered very special and are sometimes considered as heroes. As heroes, they are remembered by their community and to some extent, by the entire country, giving birth to the term, national hero.

Paradise Philippines history has witnessed countless heroes who in one way or another figured in its formation. They range from the more popular, like Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, to the nameless and faceless ones like the Unknown Soldier entombed at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the Katipunero who perished in the Battle of San Juan del Monte and the followers of leaders who fought for freedom like Apolinario de la Cruz, Diego Silang, Francisco Dagohoy, Tamblot, Magat Salamat, Soliman and Lapu-Lapu.

And then there are the lesser-known heroes. Ordinary schoolchildren have probably not heard of Aman Dangat of Batanes who resisted the Spaniards in the 18th century; Datu Akadir who resisted the Spaniards in Lanao in the late 19th century; or Diego de la Viña who formed his own force of revolutionaries to fight the Spaniards in Negroes Oriental. These heroes should also be remembered and honored by a grateful nation.